Prince Harry has just delivered a rousing speech on child safety online to the European Parliament. The Duke of Sussex, who delivered the keynote address alone after Meghan Markle pulled out after “not feeling strong enough” to speak in public following her father’s arrest, called on tech companies to make social media safe for children.In his speech, Harry said he and his wife were supporting parents who had lost children to online harm, and said youngsters “deserve to feel safe wherever they are”.The Duke delivered the solo speech at the European Parliament in Brussels, which marked the couple’s first public appearance since Thomas Markle Sr’s arrest for possession of child abuse images. The duchess held Harry’s hand tightly during her arrival at the Paul-Henri Spaak building, and ignored shouts from the media of “Meghan, how are you feeling? How are you coping?”.“I’m not here as an expert or a politician. I’m here as a father. My wife, as a mother,” he said. “And together, as a couple who stand alongside parents like Sandra, Megan and Sewell – in New York, Los Angeles, Geneva and now Brussels. Parents who never imagined they would have a reason to be in rooms like this.”He added: “All children should be able to go online and discover something wonderful. A friend. An interest that becomes a passion. A place where they feel understood. They deserve to feel safe wherever they are. In a classroom. On a playground. At any time, no matter where they are.”When he finished speaking, Meghan was seen placing a hand on his arm.Harry’s speech did not directly reference Markle Sr, but he spoke about protecting children online and stressed the importance of prevention, and said they should feel safe whether in a classroom or a playground and “at any time, no matter where they are”.The duke said: “Why, when we ask whether it can keep a child safe, does everything suddenly become complicated? “I am not asking for a world without technology. That isn’t possible, it isn’t what young people want, and it certainly isn’t what I want for my own children.“All children should be able to go online and discover something wonderful. A friend. An interest that becomes a passion. A place where they feel understood. They deserve to feel safe wherever they are. In a classroom. On a playground. At any time, no matter where they are.”The event marked the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial, a travelling art installation remembering children who died after being subjected to harm online.Leanda Barrington-Leach, Executive Director of 5Rights Foundation, said: “This memorial reminds us of the real human cost of how irresponsible and unaccountable tech companies operate.“These are not data points. These are not statistics. These are children, and their deaths must not be treated as the inevitable consequence of growing up online. Technology design is a choice, and EU lawmakers must choose to ensure technology is certified safe for children before it ever reaches them.”
————————————————
Source link
